PROJECT TITLE: ANGOLA SUSTAINABLE ADDRESSING URGENT COASTAL DEVELOPMENT GOALS ADAPTATION NEEDS AND CAPACITY GAPS IN ANGOLA Ecosystem-based Adaptation EXECUTING ENTITY: 2016-2020

Ministry of Environment (MINAMB) Reducing the number of people suffering from water Republic of Angola scarcity by increasing water- use efficiency across all sectors by 2030, along with water quality monitoring and KEY TARGETS: waste management at all four project sites. 561 Hectares of wetlands and mangroves rehabilitated

Establishing an early warning climate forecast system to 2,500 help 750 people prepare People benefitting directly for extreme weather, and from the project restoring ecosystem services in wetlands and mangroves to reduce negative climate 500 impacts on 1,800 people. People trained in EbA practices to sustain long-term benefits

FUNDING: Rehabilitating at least 400 ha of wetlands in Cabinda, 10 ha in Benguela, 41 ha in Kwanza Sul, and at least 110 ha in Namibe. These coastal ecosystems provide a home for many threatened species, including the leatherback turtle. PROJECT PARTNERS:

National Institute of Water Resources (INRH); National Institute of Meteorology and Geophysics (INAMET), Civil Supported by the Protection Services (SPCB) Least Developed Countries Fund INTRODUCTION CLIMATE IMPACTS PROJECT LOCATION

• The Republic of Angola is the 2nd largest • In the past 2 decades, Angola has experienced country in sub-Saharan Africa. It has a highly an increase in the frequency and intensity of diverse topography, covering flat coastal plains extreme climate events such as drought and and a mountainous inland region. The coasts flooding. The poor living conditions of coastal are vital for the country’s economy, hosting communities will be exacerbated by rising seas around 50% of the population of 30 million. and floods that damage coastal infrastructure and housing. • This project is seeking to help climate- vulnerable coastal communities by using • The fisheries sector is expected be harmed ecosystem-based adaptation (EbA) – a type by climate-related changes to river flows and of ‘nature-based solution’ that uses ecosystem water temperatures. For the agriculture sector, services to reduce the negative impacts of some climate scenarios project a reduction climate change. in crop yields by 2030. Approximately 85% of Angolans are employed in agriculture, which • The main approaches of the project are: raises serious implications for the economy. Establishing an early warning climate forecasting system (EWS) to help people • These climate threats are further compounded prepare in advance for extreme weather; by the exploitation of mangroves for fuelwood restoring wetlands and mangroves to provide and timbre. Mangrove forests have historically flood defences; promoting climate-resilient provided a buffer that protects coastal EbA interventions are being carried out in 4 regions: land management techniques to mitigate villages from floods and storm surges. Their Cabinda Province; Kwanza Sul Province, Benguela the impacts of drought on livelihoods; and disappearance has significantly increased the Province, and Namibe Province. The EWS is being integrating adaptation into national policy. vulnerability for people living on the coasts. established in several river basins of Benguela Province.

TECHNOLOGIES & METHODS CONTACTS

• Ecosystem-based adaptation (EbA) is central • In addition to mangroves, the project is the technical capacity of government staff to UNEP Task Manager: to the project’s activities. EbA is the tactic of restoring riparian ecosystems, which includes respond to climate change. Eva Comba using ecosystem services to build resilience to the clearing of water channels. These climate change. interventions provide multiple benefits such as • The EWS is being established in Benguela province [email protected] reduced severity of flooding and improved and is comprised of 9 hydrometeorological Project Coordinator: filtration and quality of fresh water. Stabilizing stations, 20 automatic rainfall stations and 1 • For instance, the project is restoring mangrove Carla Silva forests in four locations of Angola (see Project riverbanks with vegetation also leads to thunderstorm detector Location). These forests drastically reduce the increased soil fertility to support agriculture. [email protected] force and height of sea waves, in turn, providing • Economic assessments are quantifying the Project Specialist Manager: defences against beach erosion and flooding. • Climate-resilient land management impacts of climate change on Angola’s coastal techniques are being transferred to coastal zone, disaggregated by sector. These studies Maria Cadahia • To further strengthen adaptation, the communities in all four sites. This involves are demonstrating and comparing the cost- [email protected] restoration is prioritizing species that adopting climate-resilient crops, waste effectiveness of various adaptation responses. generate multiple goods and services for management practices, and water quality local communities (e.g., fruit trees). In a holistic monitoring. At least 500 people will be trained • Building on the economic assessments and win-win strategy, these mangroves increase in EbA and climate-resilient land management climate vulnerability assessments, a coastal zone the productivity of local fisheries by providing to ensure long-term benefits of the project. adaptation plan is being developed. The project breeding habitats for commercially valuable is also enhancing institutional coordination and fish. • Adapting to climate change requires capacity to enable proactive adaptation actions. accurate and timely climate information so • A multi-sectoral Climate Vulnerability communities can prepare for extreme weather. Assessment is being carried out for Angola’s Therefore, the project is establishing an Early coastal zone. Local climate vulnerability Warning Climate Forecasting (EWS) system assessments are being produced for each to analyze and disseminate weather data. In project site to inform the EbA activities. combination with training, this will improve